The following report was provided by Wild Montana Anglers (Flathead Valley area):
Spring fishing in the Flathead Valley is here and we are back to putting out our fishing reports! No April fools. We have been running a few fishing trips out there in the months of February and March. Fishing has been a blast out there with some days being more productive then others. Some days have been sunny and warm and other days you find yourself wondering if you are going to slide into river due to the amount of fresh wet snow on the boat ramp. Thanks to all that have had the fortitude to come out fishing with us. Now, lets get into the fishing report.
Big water:
Overall, it has been a stellar spring for fishing. We started taking folks out on the big river in late February and have been pleasantly surprised by both the quality and quantity of trout. The fish we’ve been netting look healthy, and strong which is always a great sign for the season ahead. It seems like we’ve seen several waves of trout moving into the system, with new fish periodically showing up in different spots. This movement keeps things interesting. You never know what the next outing will bring.
The big river is currently at 8200 CFS. Recently, it blew out after a heavy rain in the valley and wet snow in higher elevations. It was a big jump in flows. Likely the biggest we have seen in 2025 and it will likely cause more trout to move into the system. The water is clearing as we speak but we are expecting a pretty good storm system to move into the valley this week. That could potentially muddy things back up again. Change is the name of the game this time of year around Glacier National Park.
With river flows fluctuating, please use caution out there. There is larger debris such as trees and large limbs that are going to start making their way down the river and that can reak havoc on your day if you are caught off guard.
Bugs
On the invertebrate front, we have observed small stoneflies and the occasional mayfly but primarily I’ve been watching fish eat midges if they choose to come to the surface. As our water temperatures continue to rise, we should start to see more variety and density in our hatches. Keep an out, you never want to miss a good hatch on the big river this time of year.
Dries
We have mostly been throwing 8-10ft 3 and 4x leaders. We have not found a need to be too technical in this department. Water clarity has varied from gin clear to chocolate milk and that means you can get away with a heavier leader setup. Sometimes we see our best fish of the season during this time. By eliminating that smaller tippet scenario when fighting these bigger fish you will put yourself in a better situation to land those larger trout.
Mayflies – Parachutes in grey, purple, and mahogany.
Stoneflies – small and black.
Midges – sizes 16-20 small black midges.
Bobbers
Think bright and deep. Bobber rigs in our boats have been in the longer range (7-11 ft) with either heavily weighted flies or split shot to get the flies deep. If you don’t see bugs present and trout up and feeding on the surface, they are likely down towards the bottom of the water column. Get down to their level with whatever method you choose.
Brightly colored worm patterns as well as hot beaded and hot collared flies are most likely to get their attention and get them to move to eat the fly.
Streamers
We haven’t been throwing a ton of streamers this spring but small sculpzillas, and slump busters have produced when we have. Slow and deep have been the keys to success in this department.
Small Water
The small water is big right now. But not too big to fish. With the amount of water present on these drainages, trout are going to be in areas where they can find food and not expend too much energy to get it. Think inside corners and tight to banks as well as flooded grassy straightaways. Looking ahead, the waters are likely to get bigger so be cautious where you wade or enter the stream. Safety first.
Dries
Dry fly fishing has been sparse. Keep the faith though, as our water temperatures start to warm up the “big bugs” are going to start to emerge. When this happens, it will be the beginning of our glorious dry fly season on the small water.
Bobbers
Short leashing nymphs in flooded grass or shallow inside corners should be productive. Try longer setups in the deeper runs and pools.
Flies to consider are dark as well as light colored stoneflies. Standard mayfly nymphs in size 12-16. Wine and brown colored worms flies are also a good choice this time of year.
Stillwaters
Ice is off of some our favorite lakes and still hanging on with others. We were able to check out one of our favorite pike lakes this week as soon as it iced off. Water temperatures ranged in the high 30’s to low 40’s. Still a little too cold for fish to be up cruising the shallows. We did not see any fish cruising above 10 feet in depth. If the weather continues it’s warming trend, it won’t be long until all our favorite lakes are open and fishing well.
Looking Ahead
What A wonderful time to be in the Glacier National Park area. The waters are relatively quiet and it is the annual transition from the winter season to the spring season. The fishing is starting to heat up. What will she brings us this year?
